The power: O'Hare CrossFit plans event to benefit Lift for the 22

Anthony Tortoriello

O'Hare CrossFit March member of the month Jose Castro invites the community on March 31 between 10 a.m. and noon for 22-minute workouts and a chance to donate to Lift for the 22, which provides veterans with a one year gym membership.

O'Hare CrossFit March member of the month Jose Castro invites the community on March 31 between 10 a.m. and noon for 22-minute workouts and a chance to donate to Lift for the 22, which provides veterans with a one year gym membership. (Anthony Tortoriello)

Rachel K. HinderyPioneer Press

On March 31, O’Hare CrossFit invites everyone for a morning of camaraderie, fitness, and strengthening their new partnership with Lift for the 22.

Workouts, about 22 minutes in length, will run between 10 a.m. and noon, and are scaled to different fitness levels. O’Hare CrossFit is at 9100 Belden Ave., Franklin Park.

Visitors are asked to donate $22, which will support free one-year memberships for veterans through Lift for the 22. Lift for the 22 uses the social connections and health benefits that emerge through fitness to ultimately reduce the number of veteran suicides.

"All of those funds will go toward providing gym memberships in Chicagoland and the surrounding communities," said Carter Davis, Lift for the 22’s CEO.

Sisco described the strong ties between the CrossFit community and the military community.

"They have designated workouts that are called 'hero workouts' named for fallen veterans," Sisco said. "There's such a big connection already."

Both Sisco and O’Hare CrossFit’s March member of the month, Jose Castro, say CrossFit is an important part of their lives.

"The workouts are tough, but having the community here to keep you accountable is definitely a plus," Castro said.

"It's this thing that's bigger than me. I feel like if I can give back to my local community, I owe them," Sisco said of his journey.

"By yourself, it's really easy to quit and give up," Castro said.

While support can make it easier to succeed in a challenging workout, it is especially vital when facing the challenges that come with a transition from military to civilian life, Davis said.

"There's a huge psychological shift for a person to make that transition," Davis said, adding that the stresses of finding a new job and adjusting to new environments and relationships can lead some veterans to depression, and even to suicide.

"We believe one of the ways veterans can manage those conditions are through the gym," Davis said.

It’s about camaraderie and shared experiences:

"For me, I found that team atmosphere we have in the military [in the Army Reserve] — I found that here [at O’Hare CrossFit]," Castro said.

It’s also about setting and achieving positive goals:

"You start to achieve goals in the gym; you realize you can achieve goals in your life," Davis said.

Davis described how Lift for the 22 began with a single gym in Oregon.

"We started it with the simple intention for veterans to go sign up at their local gym," Davis said.

It doesn’t matter when a veteran served, or if veterans experienced combat.

"We want to encourage any veteran to get into our program," Davis said.

Sisco said that CrossFit O’Hare member Jonathan Maldonado convinced him to become a Lift for the 22 partner.

Once gyms become partners, "a lot of members reach out to us to nominate veterans for memberships," Davis said.

Sisco encouraged people to support Lift for the 22 in whatever way they can.

"Even if they don't want to come work out, just coming and donating is an amazing gift of support," Sisco said.

For every 100 people donating $22, O’Hare Cross fit will provide one membership.

"Being a member of the military and knowing a lot of veterans, it's a good way to end the month with a special event like that," Castro said.

O'Hare CrossFit members invite the community on March 31 between 10 a.m. and noon for 22 minute workouts and a chance to donate to Lift for the 22, which provides veterans with a one year gym membership.

O'Hare CrossFit members invite the community on March 31 between 10 a.m. and noon for 22 minute workouts and a chance to donate to Lift for the 22, which provides veterans with a one year gym membership. (Anthony Tortoriello)